Ruiz injury hands Mexico another big blow
An ACL injury will prevent Marcel Ruiz from playing at the FIFA World Cup 2026, handing co-hosts Mexico a second significant blow in two days.
Marcel Ruiz has become the second Mexico player to be ruled out of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in the last couple of days. The Toluca midfielder went off in tears in the 40th minute of a Concacaf Champions League game on Wednesday, and tests have confirmed he has torn the ACL in his right knee. It comes after goalkeeper Luis Angel Malagon ruptured his Achilles tendon on Club America duty.
Ruiz made his international debut in 2023, and has become an automatic starter for Javier Aguirre over the past 12 months. The 25-year-old was a key figure as Mexico edged USA to conquer the Concacaf Gold Cup last year, and has won 17 caps overall.
“Marcel, everyone on the Mexican national team and every supporter is with you at this time,” wrote @miseleccionmx on X. “We wish you a speedy recovery and lots of strength. You’ll be back stronger than ever!” Mexico will play intriguing friendlies against Portugal in Mexico City and Belgium in Chicago later this month. El Tri will take on South Africa and Korea Republic in Group A of the World Cup 2026. Their final first-phase game will be against the winners of Path D in the UEFA play-offs, which includes Czechia, Denmark, North Macedonia and Republic of Ireland.
Mexico suffered last-16 elimination at seven successive World Cups until the sequence was broken by a group-stage exit at Qatar 2022. The Concacaf colossuses’ best-ever finish came at home in 1986, when they beat Belgium, Iraq and Bulgaria to the quarter-finals, where they fell to West Germany on penalties.